21/4/12 Local area maps of HS2, showing details of the affects have been produced by Warwickshire Council, copies can be found in the file section under
“file/HS2 new maps from WCC April 2012”
Other HS2 information available on the WCC web site @ http://wcchs2.wordpress.com/author/djen68/
MW5/3/2012, latest newsletter as circulated to the village has been placed in the files section, and covers
Results from the HS2 consultation, and where do we go now,
http://waterortonstophs2.org.uk/files/Newsletters/5%20Newsletter%20Jan%202012.pdf
mw
28/1/12 Recent newspaper
cutting now added to files section (http://waterortonstophs2.org.uk/index.php?page=files)
under newspaper clippings
M.W.
By now you will have seen the news on 10/01/2012 that Justine Greening, the new Minister for Transport, made the announcement that the Government intends to proceed with HS2.
There has been much coverage on TV, Radio, and in the press.
As a group, we feel strongly that the decision has been made, with total disregard to the views expressed by many of the British public, along with some very underhand tactics. We are now taking some careful consideration as to the next steps.
Last years HS2 consultation had almost 55 thousand respondents, the largest number of any consultation, the results of which have not been published until the day of the decision announcement. The reading of the findings are as we expected, critical of HS2, with the vast majority being against HS2. None of this seems to have been given consideration in the decision.
The Transport Select Committee report issued last year also raised many questions and criticisms of the HS2 and its process, again much of this seems to have been ignored.
The unscheduled Network Rail report upon alternatives, which was commissioned and compiled during December 2011, and issued on 6th January 2012, appears to be a blatant and biased attempt to discredit the two main alternatives to HS2. Produced by the company that will benefit from the expansion of the rail network in due course when HS2 is operational!
For details and copies of all the material either go to our file section under “HS2 Documents Decision”, or to the “DfT web site”
Just amended again next key dates... the latest information we have is.
14/12/2011, 20/12/2011, January
19th 2012 Tuesday January 10th 2012 @ 9:30 the Secretary of
State for transport Mrs J.Greening, will make her announcement on “if HS2 is
going ahead” We are lead to believe that decision will be based on the recent Network
Rail report, see below.
Latest report issued by Network Rail for the DfT on HS2 can be found in the files section under HS2 documents. http://waterortonstophs2.org.uk/files/HS2%20Documents/Network%20Rail%20Strategic%20Alternatives%20FINAL.PDF
Wishing all of you a
Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year
The evening was orchestrated by Kim Smith, doing all the “Calling” keeping everyone on there toes and in step, to the music of the “Barry's Best” the band.
A short interval was taken mid way to enjoy some supper “fish & Chips”, form our brilliant local Chippy….. Thanks Memet & staff.
The obligatory raffle, and a short game of nearest the bottle, brought out the competitive element from the group..
Then back to the dancing, how quick it all went… and a brilliant night was had by all.
We would like to say a big Thank you, Kim and the Barries Best for the entertainment, John & Janet, Carole for organising, all the helpers, etc and to Lynne, for locking up at the end of the evening.
Some photos can be found in the “Gallery”, and if any one wants the evidence removing to protect the innocent / guilty, then please just get in touch via the contact page.
Transport Select Committee report on HS2 has now been issued
TSC vol 3 http://waterortonstophs2.org.uk/files/HS2%20Documents/TSC%20HSR%20vol%203.pdf
The long-awaited Transport Select Committee report on HS2 raised a number of worryingly unanswered questions about the plans for the proposed high speed rail network, asking if it is affordable, stating the robustness of the economic case assessment is ‘disappointing’. The report also raises significant questions about the claimed ability to provide 18 trains per hour, concluded that claims of substantial carbon-reduction benefits do not stand up to scrutiny, and called for clarity on the policy context, the assessment of alternatives, the financial and economic case, the environmental impacts, connections to Heathrow and the justification for the particular route being proposed before reaching a decision on HS2.
Stop HS2 Campaign Co-ordinator Joe Rukin said;
“This report is absolutely scathing in its list of work that still needs doing in terms of planning and appraising HS2 before deciding to proceed, and shows there are many unanswered questions. They have asked for ministers to publish the evidence which shows how they can afford to build HS2 whilst being able to continue investing in the rest of the network with projected capital and revenue expenditure profiles. The entire business case for HS2 is propped up by the voodoo economics principle of actually working out a cash value for ‘time is money’, something which the committee state is ‘disappointing’.
“They have spotted that HS2 is not part of an integrated solution, that it does not form part of any wider strategy, and that if HS2 is to work in terms of providing any wider economic benefits there has to be massive additional investment to make that happen, but there is no plan of how all of that would happen as well.”
“We are glad they have also noticed that the carbon-reduction argument is completely specious and that the plan to run 18 trains per hour is fictitious with existing technology, so somewhere currently being promised HS2 services has to lose out, something I’m sure the chair of the committee, Liverpool MP Louise Elman, had spotted. The committee also said it was disappointing that a full assessment of the case for building north to south has not been undertaken. It is clear that MPs from the North are worried that they are being conned into being cheerleaders for a railway which will only ever get as far as Birmingham.”
“The plan for building HS2 has already been pushed back two years to 2017 because Crossrail is already due to come in too late and the country can’t afford to pay for both at the same time. That means there is another two years to play with to do this properly and that is what both the Select Committee, and last week the Labour Party have been saying, it is telling the Government to go back and do it again properly, because this has been a rush job. There are seven things which the committee say there should be more clarification on before deciding to go ahead, but we know Philip Hammond was due to have announced he was going ahead before going to the pro-lobbyists victory party on the 14th of December. Justine Greening has to realise there is another two years, maybe more to play with and look at what is best for Britain, there must be a delay in the decision while these concerns are addressed. We believe the only proper way available to proceed with a project of this scale and complexity would be via a public inquiry.”
Stop HS2 Chair Penny Gaines said;
“The Transport Select Committee
lists a number of major areas where the Government’s case for high speed rail as
currently proposed falls down. These are not minor niggles, but cover huge
policy areas. They say that there is no national transport strategy which
includes a case for high speed rail. They say that at the regional level, the
economic benefits are not easily predicted, and at the local level, the
necessary strategies for high speed rail are not in place, and they say that the
Government will need to help fund whatever local schemes are made necessary by
HS2.”
“On the environmental case, the Transport Select Committee report points out that the scale of the environmental damage, and the effectiveness of any mitigation is unclear. Without the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment, how can the Government take a rational look at the disbenefits of a scheme like HS2?”
“Further, the Transport Select Committee is unhappy with the lack of information provided by HS2 about the Y route. There is no information available to the public on the Y route – not even the station locations.”
Notes to Editors:
1. For more information contact Joe Rukin on 07811 371880, Penny Gaines on 07765 780553 or Jerry Marshall on 07941 017236.
2. People can sign the petition against HS2 via the Stop HS2 website; http://stophs2.org/news/378-petition-government-stop-hs2/ or directly at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/353
3. This Press Release is embargoed until publication of the Transport select committee report at 00.01 Tuesday 8th November 2011.
next key dates...
14/12/11 is the Secretary of State for transport announcement on if HS2 is going ahead
Stop HS2 Barn Dance 26th November, see events page for details
Hansards notes from the Parlimentiary Debate 13-10-11
Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:03
These are the notes / minutes from the Debate on Thursday.
http://waterortonstophs2.org.uk/files/HS2 Documents/hansards notes ~ debate on hs2 13-10-2011.doc
and can be found under files / HS2 Documents..
Philip Hammond replaced
Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:59
News flash Philip Hammond has been replaced as the “Secretary of State for Transport” by
Justine Greening MP,
Secretary of State for Transport
Department for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR
It is
suggested that we try to get a large number of letters on her desk early next
week, suggest you copy your MP on in the letter as well… please write in if you
can..many Thanks...
Parliamentary Debate due today
Thur, 13 Oct 2011 12:40
Dear All
Just a reminder in case any one can forget today is the 13/10/11, and
HS2 is due to be debated to day by our MP's. we are hoping for a very lively
debate, with many MP's expressing their views and the views of the constituency.
.With the proposed constituency boundary changes
Sun, 9 Oct 2011 20:57
Dear All
With the proposed changes to the political boundaries, if it goes ahead, give some consideration to whom will be standing to represent the Water Orton & Coleshill areas? The current MP for Meriden is Caroline Spelman, you may like to express your views to her on HS2, as a potential constituent under the revised boundaries.
